Unspoken Secrets
by Silent Magi
Summary: After the fall of the dark lord, Harry has secluded himself away from the world. After a night of insomnia, he decides to write a letter he never intends to send, like so many before. What happens should the person get it anyhow?
1. Harry

_It is early morning, and though I long to slumber, that __mere respite is cruelly denied to me. While I await the sweet embrace of rest, I find my mind reflecting over the years. There were times I drove you insane, and you returned the favour with interest, but I dare say that I would not trade a single moment of that for a lifetime free of these thoughts._

_The truth is, when I reflect on the past, I think about how we first met on the train all those years and adventures ago... Of anyone on the train you could have talked to, you chose me. I was but a homely child then, with wild, untameable hair and a heart to match. You never could have known how my heart raced when I found out we had been sorted into the same house._

_We had a rough patch then, though I would blame Ron and his mouth instead of either of us, I must take blame as it is due. My heart threatened to leap from my chest and out of my mouth, in a flourish of poetry proclaiming your divine nature. And so, like a coward I chose silence._

_But then came that fateful Halloween, and with its feast the troll. I had thought us doomed, until your fast thinking saved us. There began our friendship anew, in a baptism of fire, creating the diamond I cherish to this day. And through summers of silence, adventures, narrow escapes, and squabbles, we remained strong and faithful to one another._

_It has been many years that I have kept this secret, and though I lack the courage to speak it out loud, not for fear of rejection, for I know in my heart of hearts that you would never let my foolish romantic notions ruin our relationship. I speak it not, for fear of what it would do to you. I know you would play the strong one, pretending that what others say doesn't trouble you, but I know it would. Slowly it would worry at your mind, and eventually cause you great pain._

_It is for the very same love I feel for you, that I dare not confess it to you verbally. Yes, it's pathetic isn't it? For all I'm praised for being a true Gryffindor, I cannot brave the world to say: "I love you, Hermione."_

_Some saviour of the Wizarding World, huh? I've written this so many times, but was never able to send it. I suppose this one will end up with the others, hidden away in the secret compartment of my old school trunk, where the bottom lining came loose during the Tri-Wizard tournament._

_If this letter should find your hands, know that I'll always love you, and will do my best to never let harm come to you._

_Eternally in love with you,_

_Harry James Potter_

Harry sighed as he laid down the quill he'd scribed the note and envelope with. Same as always, he sealed the letter away and sat down to look at it. It was now four in the morning, and he hadn't been able to sleep at all. It had been the same for the past three months now, ever since the last funeral for those that died in the final battle against Voldemort. He decided he needed a break from the world, and secluded himself away in a cottage that had been his families for years. Only one person knew where to find him, and as his secret keeper, could be the only one to tell.

That same selfless woman that he hid the biggest secret in the world from. He knew that she'd be happy if he told her, but she was with Ron now, and he didn't want to trouble their already rocky relationship. He'd done enough during the hunt for the Horcruxes when Ron had left them, and he and Hermione had gotten too close. Far, far too close for just friends. That was a secret they would never speak about again, and that both would guard with their best abilities in Occulmancy. The dance, the kiss, the long nights of talking about their fears and dreams for after the war. He'd nearly told her then, but Ron and Hermione were still technically together, and he couldn't hurt his best mate like that.

And so again he chose silence. Silence, save that of the quill etching on paper. He'd written over a hundred letters, and each one professed his love to Hermione. Some of them went so far back as to their first year, before the troll incident. Letting out a yawn, he sealed the letter in the envelope, and leaned back in his chair. It was peaceful out here alone, the only thing that would have made it perfect was to have Hermione sitting around, reading one of her books.

Oh cruel fate, that denied him the woman he wanted. Closing his eyes, he never realized he'd fallen asleep, his light snoring filling the room.

So deep was his slumber that he didn't even stir when a soft crack sounded outside, and barely even registered when Hermione slammed open the door, hauling in a suitcase and a bag of groceries. She was obviously upset, and angry. But one glimpse of Harry slumped over in his chair, told Hermione that he needed sleep more than she needed to talk.

However, it was while she watched him slumber that she saw in his hand a letter addressed to her. Lightly pulling it free of his hands, she took it into the guest bedroom with her suitcase and sat down on the bed. She would talk to him after he woke up, so for now, she'd just read the letter he was going to send her, and maybe get a bit more sleep after her anger at Ron burned off.

Flipping open the flap, she wondered briefly why she thought of Pandora's Box. Shaking it off, she began to read Harry's message.


	2. Hermione

To say that what Hermione had found awaiting her in that letter surprised her, would have been like saying the magical world was a _bit_ behind the times. She was flummoxed, flabbergasted, and strangely completely and utterly embarrassed. And this was only the most recent of letters according to Harry. Before she even thought about it, she was kneeling in front of Harry's school trunk, digging through it. Finding the part with the loose lining, she pulled out another stack of letters, marveling that there had to be at least a hundred here.

Sneaking back to the guest room, she paused and frowned at seeing Harry slumped over in the chair, snoring away. Without another word, she pulled a blanket from his room, and covered him carefully with it, making sure to not disturb him. After she'd put the blanket around him, she carefully removed his glasses and set them gently on the table beside him. Once she'd finished, she picked up his letters, and paused. Here was the man that had professed his love to her so passionately, just inches away and hoping to have the courage to tell her. Biting her lower lip nervously, she felt her body moving of its own violation down, and towards the sleeping man.

Stopping just an inch short, she watched his sleeping face intently, wondering just how she could have been so blind to his love for so long. Yet a tiny part of her mind asked, had she really? She knew that he loved her, but she'd always thought it had been like he said as a sister and a friend. Leaning up she gently kissed his forehead, just to the right of that scar. As she retreated from the room, she wondered what she was going to do now.

Technically speaking, she was still with Ron, and he didn't deserve to be walked out on for his best friend, just because said friend had a long, undying love for her. And she could have sworn that Harry was interested in Ginny. She couldn't hurt her like that, could she? Instead of continuing that line of thinking, she decided to read the letters. Choosing the oldest one, she opened it carefully, and began reading.

_Hermione,_

_You probly don't remember me from the train but my name is Harry Potter. I guess I just wanted to thank you for repairing my glasses, and to say that I think your amazing. If you don't mind would you mind tutaring me? I know you're probably asked this a lot but I hope you say yes and that we could be freinds._

_I'm very glad that we're in the same house; I would have thought someone as brilliant as you should be in Ravenclaw though. __Not saying your not brave, but just that__ Sorry about that, not used to quills yet. I was hoping you could be my freind, despite Ron being such a jerk. If so could we meet in the common room after supper sometime?_

_Harry._

Despite herself, she couldn't help but smile at Harry's misspellings and poor grammar. After the troll incident, she had really helped him to improve that, as well as his penmanship. It was so sweet that he wrote this note to her. And if she was honest with herself, she'd have jumped at the chance for a friend back then.

As she progressed through the letters, she found herself wondering just how blind she had been towards Harry's true feelings. Especially during fourth year, where they worked so close together, and yet he constantly brushed it all off as being close to Cho Chang. Such a convenient excuse, since Cho had actually been half-way stalking Harry for Cedric at the time.

He had written about the Yule Ball, not as the unmitigated disaster that it was. Instead he wrote of it as a beautiful and fanciful evening where they were alone on the dance floor, bathed in a moonlit spotlight that brought out the dancing emerald of his eyes. Shortly after the dance they shared an intimate candlelit dinner out on a balcony with the stars shimmering in the sky, and magic keeping them warm from the winter's chill. The sheer intimate nature of it all had her blushing from head to toe, and yet a smile lingered on her lips.

During that time between Sirius's and Dumbledore's deaths, Harry's letters took on a more pleading tone, acting like she was the one divine angel in a sea of demons threatening to drag him down. And then during the hunt for the Horcruxes, he wrote of the pain he felt being so near her, and yet unable to tell her for she was with Ron.

It made her wonder just how deeply he loved her, to put her supposed happiness with his best friend before his own. Tears stung her eyes when she lowered the second-to-latest letter. It had been right after Voldemort's defeat, before Harry had gone into seclusion. He had thought about pleading her to come with him, but couldn't for she was so happy with Ron.

So happy, was it? The constant bickering between them seemed right out of a bad comedy. She'd been so ready to end it entirely, but had long ago vowed never to make a permanent act while in a full rage mode. That was the main reason she and Ron hadn't broken up, because once she calmed down, he would apologize. Then the cycle would repeat itself. Harry had been caught up in the middle of that cycle that it almost seemed like they were playing tug-of-war with him. She wondered how he could possibly stand it.

Returning the envelopes to Harry's trunk, and the latest to the table under his glasses, she never noticed as a few strands of red hair drifted towards the ground lightly. While she was walking around, she wondered just why she kept going back to him. Could it be that she felt that no one else would have her? Maybe it was that, deep down, she feared being alone again, and so clung to the first serious boyfriend she'd ever had.

But... if Harry's words were true, she didn't have to fear being alone, just had to take the risk of being the first to speak. No more of the belittling of her intelligence by Ron, no more rage fueled silences because Ron had embarrassed her in front of everyone, no more caving in her wants and needs just to make Ron happy.

Sitting down on the bed in her room, she frowned and thought what it could be like with Harry. He'd always seemed to put others before himself, so it was likely that she would be infuriated with never doing anything that _he_ wanted, but he had always seemed to enjoy letting someone else lead occasionally. And he was also famous, so anything they did would be public news, but he had these secluded retreats, and if they used the proper secret keepers, such as herself or Harry, they'd never have to fear about it getting to the wrong ears.

Pausing in her thoughts, she felt the gears strip in her mind, forcing them back onto Ron. He'd be utterly hopeless without someone. And she was the best one for the job. After all, only she, the brightest witch of the age could be smart enough to continue helping him... wait, what? That didn't take brains, but patience. Besides Harry needed her more, didn't he?

He was the one that grew up isolated and unloved. He was the one without an entire army of a family there to fall back on. So why was it so hard to find a reason to be with Harry instead of Ron?

Shaking her head, she briefly considered going to find Ron and asking him directly about these letters. But she hadn't actually gotten Harry's permission to read any of them, and then there was the fact that Ron probably didn't know about these letters if Hermione hadn't.

Besides, if she went to him about it, he'd just get mad, and start accusing her of wanting to leave him. Today she had been supposed to go with him to his mother's for a visit, but he had just so infuriated her with his antics that she stormed off to Harry's, only stopping briefly to pick up some groceries since she hadn't heard of him being spotted recently. So maybe she should just stay over and see if he talked to her about it.

Even still, she should still tell him about it, just so he could talk to Harry and help him to move on. Wait, _what_? He'd just get all jealous, angry, and most likely punch Harry right in the face. _After_ he got mad at her. _Why_ was her mind so torn about this? One side seemed to know it was right, but the facts supported the other side more. And to top it off, it was giving her a throbbing headache. So instead of continuing to think about it, she decided to lay down and get some sleep, since she'd been woken up in the middle of the night by Ron coming home drunk… _again_.

Really, he was so _aggravating_, why did she even start going out with him in the first place?! As her eyes closed, she wondered again if maybe being in Harry's arms would make her feel safer during the cold lonely nights…


	3. Harmony

_What is this feeling? Where am I? It's just so... so gray here. I have to get out of here, I have to find... find... who was it I have to find? One of my old friends... which one was it? Ron or Harry? Oh, there's something approaching... what is... it looks like a man made entirely out of red fur... how curious..._

_Oh, it wants to take me away from all this, take me to Ron. Yes that sounds lovely... Ron will know what I'm supposed to be doing. I take its hand and start walking away, when suddenly a black creature with a white lightning bolt blaze on its chest burst forth from nowhere and takes my other hand. It's saying Harry, of course Harry would be an excellent choice._

_They're going to pull me apart though, Red just keeps grunting out 'Ron', why does it keep grunting that? And Black... Black is saying 'Career' now. Oh yes, my career. It's important for my future to have a good solid career. Maybe I could become a professor, or work with the ministry to improve the rights of magical beings and creatures._

_It's getting rather painful now, I'm surprised my arms haven't been torn right from their sockets. Red is still doing that grunting chant of 'Ron'. Oh bother and be done with Ron! Black wants only for my 'Happiness' now, and is trying to gain proper hold to win me free._

_What is that sound, it's like ripping fabric... but I don't see any fabric around, unless..._

_I realize now why my arms didn't pop out of their sockets; I'm just a rag doll, and my shoulder seams are coming undone. Oh no, don't tear me apart you two! I don't want to be ripped to shreds over your silly little feud._

_Black seems to have heard me, even though I couldn't speak with my lips stitched shut. It's saying a full sentence now, 'Sorry 'Mione, I didn't mean to hurt you...'_

_Hurt her? Why Black could never hurt her, he loved her. And yet, she was going with Red now. No I don't want that. Let me go Red, let me go! What... Why are you bringing me to your mouth... No don't eat me! DON'T EAT ME!_

Harry jolted out of his chair, nearly tumbling to the floor as his feet got tangled in the blanket he didn't remember covering up in, and looked around blearily. He heard screaming, and there was only one other person able to be here. She should be in the guestroom.

Freeing himself of the fabric prison entangling his legs he bolted into the other room, finding the blurred outline of Hermione thrashing about on the bed. He reached over and gently touched her shoulder, stilling her instantly. "Shh 'Mione, it's okay... you're safe here..." he whispered soothingly moving up to stroke her hair gently.

Biting his lip, the memories of the Horcrux hunt came unbidden to his mind. She'd had nightmares like this during then, and it was always a light touch and reassuring words that won her free.

Sighing he tilted his head, and watched her relax into a peaceful slumber, the nightmare fading from memory, to be nothing but a hollow echo in the morning's light. Well... afternoon's light, but the essence was still the same. She'd never remember the nightmare that had her thrashing about, but they would remain away for the rest of Hermione's slumber.

As much as Harry wished he could stay here, he had to go make something for lunch for the two of them. Smiling faintly, he still marveled over the warm feeling he got when he made food for people that enjoyed it, instead of his relatives. Stroking her hair a final time, he pushed himself up, and stumbled his way to finding his glasses, resting on the top of a very familiar envelope. Panic snatched the breath from his lungs, as his head snapped to look back at Hermione's room. Had she read the letter? Was that the reason for her nightmare? No... the recipient address was still face down, and the flap was still closed.

She hadn't read it, maybe he should tuck it away, best not to risk it. Snatching up the letter he walked into his room, and knelt before his trunk. Pausing for a moment, he considered actually giving her the letter, but something deep inside warned him that it wasn't right. After all, Hermione was dating Ron now, and from the looks of it was fairly serious about him. Right?

He shouldn't be selfish, the happiness of others first is what the hero did. And so he tucked the letter into the secret compartment with the others, he sighed and smoothed out the lining with practiced ease. Hooray for the fucking hero, huh? Pushing down that bitterness and anger, he closed the lid of his trunk and made his way to the kitchen.

Why should he be bitter? He was the hero of the Wizarding World, he was obscenely wealthy, he had beaten the greatest dark lord of the age, he had great friends, he had his pick of jobs, and women fell faint at the very mention of his name. So what if he was only a hero because said dark lord had marked him from birth, his victory was entirely dependent on Voldemort using his blood for his resurrection, he was only wealthy because his parents had died, most of his great friends would betray him at the drop of a hat, and he didn't even want any of the jobs they were offering? He had absolutely no reason to be _bitter_ over his best friend getting the girl he'd loved since their first year. None what-so-bloody-ever.

So instead he pulled out the radio he'd rewired to fit inside a Wizarding Wireless Unit he'd found here. It took a little doing, but he managed to get the power unit to accept magic to replace electricity. Giving it a little power, he smiled as one of his favorite songs filled the air.

Somewhere around the time he turned five, Aunt Petunia had picked up a large, downright massive, amount of tapes of classical music, in hopes of getting better grades out of Dudley. Dudley had listened for all of five minutes before tossing them into Harry's cupboard and going out to play with his friends. Fortunately for Harry, he'd also stuffed in a Walkman with actual working headphones. Alright, so he had to use some string to tie them back together so they fit on his head, but he could listen to the music while trapped in the cupboard. And he'd grown to love one song in particular.

Smiling happily, he began a slow dance while he put away the extra groceries that Hermione had brought over. He'd be lost without her, since the only thing he had left was a slice of cheese, and a piece of bread that he wasn't too sure wasn't alive. Even after he'd finished putting up the groceries and started cooking Hermione's favorite meal.

Hermione on the other hand, was not enjoying the beautiful melodies of The Four Seasons of Vivaldi. Instead her nightmare had returned, in a new and quite infuriating fashion.

_Strings reached up into the darkened heavens above her, strings which forced her to jerk and twitch about like a marionette. 'This isn't me doing these things Harry, make me stop!' her mind pleaded with the black haired boy sitting in the front row before her. Looking down, her eyes widened as she saw that she was wearing a flowing white dress._

_With a woosh of air, she was standing next to Ron, who couldn't hear her mental pleading to free her. Against her will, her mouth moved, saying "I do," in a voice that wasn't quite her own._

_And suddenly there was another jerk, and she was cooking and cleaning a wizarding home, wearing a dress right out of the 1950's. She had apparently gained a baby along the way, as her stomach was massive, and then she saw a troop of red headed children marching in, messing up her just cleaned floor. Ron just laughed, and patted his kids on the head._

_Looking up, she saw that there was four forms trying to gnaw through her strings. The black creature from earlier with him was a pale yellowish-white female form, and two orangish-red twins attacking the strings with all their might. But there seemed nothing they could do. And the darkness above parted, to show the massive red monster from earlier scooping up her allies, to be replaced by four more puppets. Harry, Luna, Fred and George, all joined her on the stage, for a grand final bow._

With a gasp, Hermione sat bolt upright on her bed. She couldn't quite remember the details of her dream, but the central theme was still there. She was being forced to do something, that she knew deep down wasn't what she wanted when free of their control.

She had allies, but they were either controlled or unable to do anything. But... but... oh that heavenly aroma was driving away the last vestiges of the dream from her mind. Oh that blissful smell of her mother's special recipe of chicken fillets and sides.

A smile spread across her face as she realized that Harry must have finally gotten the rosemary added before the garlic this time. He always goofed that up usually. Getting out of the bed, she followed the aroma, until a beautiful melody filled her ears. She could see the radio that was playing the soft tune, but for some reason she couldn't place it. And yet she still recognized it.

That's when she saw him dancing, swirling around the kitchen in time with the music, and a smile spread over her face as the tune was placed in her mind. Harry's favorite, that he'd let her listen to on their hunt for the Horcruxes. It was the tune they had danced together to, under the star filled sky, and the half filled moon.

She felt bad just letting him dance alone, as there felt like he was dancing a dance for two, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to join in the dance. In her mind's eye she saw herself slip in gracefully, and make the side dish while he made the main meal. Each of them would trade tender, loving gazes until the meal was finished, and their eyes could remain locked.

They would put the food on the table, and slowly close the distance between them, until only inches separated them. And then as the music swelled, they would join hands and dance. Just the two of them, swirling through the area. Drunk on each other's presence and the love they felt for each other.

Hermione felt moisture rolling down her cheeks as one word echoed in her head, knowing that she couldn't betray Ron like that. Little did she know that Harry's thoughts were a mirror of her own, and as he paused in the dance, leaning over the sink to rinse some vegetables, the one word echoed in his own mind.

'_Perfect...'_


	4. Ron

Ron had been having a rough few days, first was the row with Hermione over going out drinking with the twins again. It hadn't even been his idea for Merlin's sake, the twins had just snatched him on the way out of the Ministry where he'd been taking lessons to be an auror. That fight meant that he had to go home alone, which seemed to have his mother in an uproar.

Alright, so she'd made it a point to specify that Hermione should come with him for his monthly visit. So what if she missed one? It's not like she'd minded them missing visits during the entire Horcrux hunt trip, or during the entire three months they spent visiting funerals after the defeat of Voldemort. But one single month after that, and mom was in an uproar over it, as though he'd given her a pissed cobra in a box as a gift.

He'd just apologize for ticking Hermione off, and have her visit another time without him. It wasn't that big of a deal.

Thinking about Hermione, he smiled as he remembered when he first realized just how special and wonderful she was. He'd been digging around in Harry's trunk to get some of the extra sweets that Harry'd said he could have whenever he wanted, and come across some letters to Hermione that Harry'd never sent. One was open, and so he thought nothing of reading the private, unsent message.

What he'd found was just short of poetry telling Hermione all of her wonderful traits, and it got him thinking that Hermione had indeed been beautiful, intelligent, helpful, and downright wonderful. It was at that moment he'd fallen in love with her, and knew that he had to have her as his girlfriend. He knew that Harry loved her still, but he had so much going for him, he wouldn't mind letting his mate get the girl, would he? Of course not, after all, he had Ginny that loved him, so he could just let Ron have Hermione.

When he wrote his mom the first time about asking for dating advice, she insisted that Hermione come over to the Burrow during the summer, and that she'd help him out. Why she even went so far as to baking Hermione a box of cookies as a welcome to the family gift. Cookies which Ron wasn't allowed to touch, by his mother's orders. It was no fair, they were his favorite type of cookies too. Real.

Okay, so maybe he'd snuck a few of them out when Hermione wasn't looking, but they were so delicious, that he couldn't help himself. Besides, Hermione was his girlfriend, she should share with him. It was only right and proper. What was the woman's was the man's, that's what Mum'd always taught him. Well, everything except woman's work, that was for the woman only.

So why had his mom gotten so sore over him eating some of those cookies? Or some of the ones she'd sent Harry? She never sent him any, and he was her son! It was a bloody outrage that she kept sending them cookies, and he got none.

She was pissed about a lot of things lately, first there was Harry's disappearance which had her at wit's end with worry. Then there was the fact that Ginny hadn't gotten back together with Harry before he'd gone off into hiding. After that, was the fact that Harry'd chosen Hermione as the secret keeper.

Why would she be mad about those three things? Sure Harry was like a brother to him, but there was no reason for his mom to take it that far, especially on him. And Hermione had said that Harry wanted no one to disturb him, and had used her as the secret keeper, in case of emergency. As for Ginny and Harry not getting back together? It was only a matter of time, wasn't it? Ginny'd been head over heels for Harry since before they met, and Harry was... interested... in Ginny. Right?

It was just so bloody confusing, especially on top of mom yelling at him for several minutes about not bringing Hermione over for tea. He didn't know why it was so important that he bring her over for tea, after all he never got to sit and drink tea. No, he would be sent off to get some vegetables from the garden, or carry some heavy trunk up the stairs, or any number of other stupid tasks.

Grumbling he fished out his keys to let himself in to the place he shared with Hermione. He'd gotten as far as putting his coat up, when he noticed that he was not alone. Turning back to the table in the kitchen, he saw that his girlfriend was back after two days and sitting there, sipping tea.

"Hey Hermione, I'm sorry about going out with the twins and not letting you know..." Ron started while rubbing the back of his head. "Mom wants you to visit as soon as possible."

"Ronald..." Hermione stated calmly, setting the red head on edge. She never used his full name without him being in deep trouble. "I've been doing some thinking... we... we fight a lot..."

"Yeah, but we're getting better, aren't we? And besides isn't the occasional spat a sign of a good relationship?" Ron asked nervously, caught off guard by the statement and the really bad sinking feeling he had.

"No Ron, we are getting worse without Harry to balance us... and occasional spats means only a few a month, not one per day," Hermione explained calmly. "I think that we should break up. I've given it a lot of thought Ron, and it might be for the best. We can still be friends..."

"Friends... Harry told you that didn't he? Both you and he probably spent all night talking and falling in love, huh? I bet he finally got the guts to show you those damn letters. And now he's taking the one thing I had that he didn't. Well that's just great, he's such a wonderful fu... uhh... Hermione?" Ron paused, seeing that his former girlfriend is currently wiping tea off her hand, while the shards of her cup tinkle against the table. "You alright?"

"What letters Ronald?" Hermione asked calmly with enough ice in her voice to chill the air around her. "What letters are you talking about?"

"His... letters to you... about how he's in love with you..." Ron offered nervously. "He had to have shown you them, or you wouldn't be leaving me like this..."

"He didn't show me them Ronald... how did you find out about them?" Hermione continued calmly, repairing the cup with a simple wave of her wand.

"I... found them..." Ron admitted guiltily, while edging back away from the bushy haired woman, dangerously twitching her wand in his general direction. He had to think fast, and like always when trapped, he did what he thought best. "They were just sitting in his trunk, and I gave them a look. They're what made me realize my feelings for you, and helped me realize some things I hadn't seen in you before..."

"Letters... addressed to me... that you assumed were fine to read because you found them in your mate's trunk?" Hermione asked in a quiet, deadly cold voice. To prevent from hexing him into oblivion, she replaced her wand into her pocket. After all, he still had a hole to dig before she could blast him. And with how Ron was squirming and sweating, she knew that she wasn't going to have that hard of a time getting the truth out of him.


	5. Molly

Molly was a little miffed that her plans seemed to be falling apart around her. The only thing she had wanted was for her family to return to the former glory that it had once held, was that so wrong? So what if it meant giving two naughty children some medicine to make them comply to her wishes? It wasn't like their parents had shown them that they were to be respectful of their betters.

So what if they thought themselves the equals of such pureblood wizards as the Prewett line, they didn't know better. They were just misguided little darlings that would learn under her caring, tender ministrations.

She'd make them learn.

Just like she taught her daughter Ginny, she was being such a naughty dear with her poor little friend Luna Lovegood. And now she was no longer interested in the dear blonde girl, but instead was more focused on Harry, like a good girl should be.

Now... if only she could get the shy little boy to come to his senses and notice that she had crafted her daughter to be the perfect wife for him. And get that wonderful bright young dear Hermione to see that her Ronald was perfect for her. Then she could get her big happy family back on track after they lost dear Fred in the war. Even sweet little Percy was back to the fold, though he hung out with George almost nearly as much as Fred had, it was almost like having Fred back from the grave.

Ronnie had even gotten so confused as to say that they were twins. The poor, little, confused dearie – he just needed a little help to express his full potential. She could only do so much, but Hermione, she was smart enough to see how wonderful he could be. And with him in love with her, thanks to darling Harry's silly little love letters.

So what if it tore apart Harry and Hermione, two of the closest friends she had ever seen, in the process? The little dears weren't worldly enough to know what they want, and needed a wise head to show them the benefits of being in a pureblood family. Now all she had to do was get them to come over for some tea, or send them some more cookies.

She wouldn't even have to use the tea if her dear little baby Ronnie-poo hadn't snuck some of the cookies from Hermione and Harry. But it was too late to regret the past, and she had to find a way to get some of the tea and cookies to wherever Harry had holed up in.

After he and the darling Hermione were brought to heel, she could set to work on making George and Percy perfect little angels. While she was working on those two rebellious dears, she could have Hermione's wonderful, gifted brilliance to find a cure for her poor William's wolfish attributes overcoming him.

Maybe she could even get her to overcome his wild tendencies with that quarter-veela woman Fluer, and settle down to raising their own Weasley brood. He had already taken an interest in helping his brothers run the silly joke shop of theirs. Which Molly hoped would become a more proper store.

If Percy hadn't ran off to side with the Ministry when he did, she wouldn't even need to consider dosing him. He was already the perfect little dear mother's son then, but now... now he was being a little rebellious to her suggestions.

She would have her happy family, and they would have large, happy families, if she had to use fertility potions and spells on all the women in her family.

Yes, that was the proper way to ensure your family survived and prospered, pick partners with proper jobs that would benefit your children to partner with, ensure that they marry, and then make certain that they have at least a half dozen children. That was the way to ensure that they have billions of galleons in the vaults, and are the most powerful family in the long run. None of this single child nonsense like the Malfoys, especially with the inbreeding they do. It simply dilutes the gene-pool, makes for rather dull children, and even worse, increases the chase that the child will be a squib.

"Oh dear... where's my tea..." Molly muttered to herself as she realized she'd worked herself into a right hissy fit over this matter. Putting some water on to boil, she set about hunting for her special blend of tea leaves, and the sherry she always added a healthy amount of to soothe her nerves.

Once her tea was prepared she settled in at the table and reviewed what she knew about the cookies and teas she'd been using. While they weren't unforgivable, such as with the '_Imperio_' curse, it was a rather frowned upon use of potions and magic. It was also very impractical as she had to re-dose the two every month for maximum effect, and if she didn't get it to them in four months, they would revert to their foolishly mistaken ways.

It really was for their best that they listen to her, after all, mother knew best. And for the children that weren't of her family – yet – well they couldn't have had a proper mothering. Not with how dreadfully they behaved when not under constant supervision.

The poor dears really needed someone older and wiser to guide them, and she just happened to modestly filled the role. Especially since that old duffer Dumbledore had thought to treat them as adults. He had been easy to control, a few emotional outbursts, a handful of stances opposite of what she needed, and she had him thinking he was in charge.

She had even gotten so deeply into his confidence that he relied on her entirely for finding a suitable relative for Harry to be raised by. And who better than his mother's older adopted sister? She had done a marvelous job bringing Harry up as a respectful, intelligent and powerful wizarding lad. But she really must learn to feed a growing boy properly, and teach him that women were always right.

Men could be such stubborn fools in thinking that they were the ones in charge.

That really must change, after all: Look at how she had brought Arthur to heel after her marriage.

Her musings were cut off as the crack of an apparition arrival, quite possibly her darling little Ronnie-kins, with his delightful girlfriend Hermione. She would have to prepare some of her special tea if that was the case. Standing up, she bustled out to the front yard, where she found her baby boy Ronald. But he didn't have Hermione with him.

In fact he looked the same as when he left earlier save for the massive black eye, and the luggage she could see bulging out of his front pants' pockets. "Ronald! What happened baby?" Molly asked as she began tending to the bruising around his eye.

"I don't know mum... one minute I'm apologizing to Hermione like you told me to... and then we got talking about how I fell in love with her through Harry's letters..." Ron started with tears forming in his eyes. "She broke up with me mum! Hermione dumped me and kicked me out!"

Scooping her crying son into her arms, she shushed him softly while stroking his hair. This wasn't right, Hermione shouldn't have had the control of her mind to actually break up with her dear Ronnie. Not after only a couple months.

Taking Ron inside, she led him up to the room he always used and settled him in. "Now, now Ron, I'm sure that it was just a thing from the heat of the moment... just you watch, she'll come back to you..."

"She knows about the letters mum, she's going to talk to Harry about them right now..." Ron answered with a sniffle as he held his teddy bear and security blanket, while curling up against his mother. "It's not fair mum... I asked her out first, not Harry... he's got everything else... why does he get Hermione too?"

"Shhh dearie, that's just crazy talk..." Molly answered while trying to soothe her obviously distraught son. "You just stay here and let that nasty black eye mend while I go get you some of your favorite chicken, hmm?"

"Thanks mum... that'd be great..." Ron answered while he sat back on the bed. "I'll be down in a few minutes... I want to unpack a little if I'm staying..."

"Take your time dear... and then you can tell me how you got that nasty black eye..." Molly reassured her son, while walking out. "Come down anytime in the next half-hour and your chicken should be finished."

A few minutes after Molly left, a devious smile spread over Ron's lips, his eyes growing hard and calculating as he pulled out a canteen and took a swig of the potion inside. Tucking it away again, he fished out a communications mirror from his pockets, letting the miniaturized luggage fall to the ground. "Oi Porgie, did you get that? She completely bought that I'm Ron..."

"I heard Purse, just be careful alright? Hermione says that Ron might also be effected like you were..." a voice answered from the mirror, worry filling his voice. "Remember if you hear anyone say '_Sarsaparilla from a spoon_'. It means you've been made and to get out of there..."

"I know..." 'Ron' answered while he tucked the mirror away. "Just keep Ron tucked away."


	6. In Mommy's Loving Arms

Molly seemed to cook her son's favorite comfort food with a happiness that belied just how furious she was over someone marring his beautiful face with a black eye. This would not do at all, those little dears were never meant to harm one another, especially not Hermione. She was going to be a wonderfully meek and docile wife that acquiesced to her husband's every demand.

It was only proper after all, since she was just a silly muggle-born girl, and didn't know the proper way of things in the magical world. Unlike herself, she knew how things worked, and was making sure that it worked in her favor. Her family's favor, that is.

All she did, she did for her family after all.

Putting the chicken into the heated lard, she smiled as it began hissing nicely, before turning to wave her wand over the potatoes. After all, what was fried chicken without potatoes? Or greens? _Improper_ to say the least. Sadly he'd have to settle for a simple lettuce salad, green beans, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, and some custard for dessert. It was terribly last minute after all.

The poor baby needed some lovin' and nothing said I love you than a stomach full of food and a mother's arms to hold a person safe and warm. That was what she was there for, to love and take care of her little, darling babies and ensure that they were on the proper path.

She could recover from this, all she had to do was find out what went wrong, and correct matters before the potions in the cookies and tea wore off completely. Once that happened she was screwed, the potion remaining in their system would ensure complete immunity to anything like it.

What she didn't know was the cookies hadn't ever really effected Harry, his immunity to the Imperious curse made such trivial things as the slightly mind altering cookies completely worthless. Only his own fear of rejection and fear of hurting his friends allowed them even the tiniest of footholds into his mind. Add to that protection of his mind with the basilisk venom and phoenix tears and anything that was required to enter his blood stream was immediately and without question destroyed, decimated, and irrevocably eradicated. Even Veratiserum was worthless against him, he'd have a few seconds of his mind wanting to tell the truth, but nothing on par with how it should effect him.

As for Hermione, one thing that Molly had never encountered was someone with a greater will, and a stronger mind than her own. As this was the Magical world, it is not as surprising as in the Muggle world, but what it did mean was it created a challenge for her to overcome. One that she utterly failed to recognize and comprehend.

What the potion in the cookies and tea did was basically create a highly suggestive state in a person, however it only worked to the same level as hypnosis. If it went completely and utterly against the very nature of the person, it would not take hold in their mind. Even if it did go with their nature, but not with something they felt strongly about, there would be tell-tale clues for the person to use to break the hold.

What she missed past even THAT was that now that Hermione suspected about the influence being snuck into her life, she would do all in her powers to rid herself of the stain on her mind. Once she'd cured herself, she would track down the person that had been dosing her. After she found the person, they were going to regret every, single, drop of potion they ever brewed in their life. After Hermione was finished, Harry would step in and even Voldemort would pity the poor soul who did it by the time Harry got done.

Setting the food on the table, Molly called up the stairs for Ron to come and eat. She had to build up little Ronnie's energy levels so that he could go back and convince Hermione to take him back. All of her plans hinged on the two of them being a happy little couple, because if she was left to her own devices Hermione could throw a major monkey wrench into all of Molly's carefully laid plans.

That girl was too curious and intelligent for her own good sometimes, and Molly needed to curb some of that. The silly little dear was even thinking of having a full time career outside of the house! Oh no, that would never do. No, no, no... She had to be shown the proper Pureblood way.

Hearing Ron tromp down the stairs, she smiled and settled in across the table from where she'd set his place. It was time to have a good long talk with the dear, sweet Ronnikins, and find out just what the little darling had done. That way she could figure out the best way to solve the little problem he'd been having with his future wife.

"Hey mum," Ron stated as he dragged himself into the room, stopping only a moment to give her a kiss on the cheek before sitting down and poking at the food in front of him.

This caused Molly to frown, recognizing that he must be troubled about something very much to not wolf down his meal as fast as he could. "Don't worry so Ronnie, I'm sure that once Hermione has calmed down, she'll realize that she made a mistake. Then you two can get back together," Molly offered with a wide smile as she nudged the chicken plate closer. "Now eat dear, you're far too skinny."

Percy realized why Molly was looking at him expectantly. He realized that Ron never ever poked at his food. Nodding at his mom with Ron's idiotic grin, he grabbed a piece of white meat and tore into it with gusto and a complete abandoning of any manners he'd ever learned. In fact, he ate so fast that he very nearly threw up as the food went down his throat. How did Ron ever eat this fast?

Putting down the last bone, Percy wondered just how Ron ate like this every day. After one meal, he felt like he should be rolled into a shallow grave and left to rot and after a couple days, cut open to feed a village of starving people. That's when he noticed something odd going on, the full feeling was fading, and instead he was getting hungry again.

That was it, wasn't it? Ron was in a constant state of being hungry, so he ate like a starving man because he felt he was. How curious...

"There we are Ronniekins, now who hit you to give you that nasty black eye?" the woman that was his biological female progenitor asked as she vanished the remains of the feast. It was time for Percy's acting skilled to come into play.

"Oh mum, it was horrible! I went to talk to Hermione like you told me to, and then I let slip about those letters of Harry's. After that, she kicked me out. Since the lease is in her name, well the wards of the house recognized her over me and sent me flying out the door! I was about to run back in to talk to her again, when that bloody door slammed shut right in my face!" Percy exclaimed with a hint of a whine as he 'nursed' the black-eye. "Worst still, I got hit in the face by that door knocker you sent us... you remember the big metal ring."

"Oh my poor baby!" Molly gushed as she rushed over and cradled her little Ronniekins close, stroking his hair while muttering soothing words, "I'm so sorry my gift hurt you dearie, I'll find something better for you soon. Then you can take that over to Hermione and you two will be back on track. I know the perfect thing... my Grandma's wedding band is on the little box on the mantle. Why don't you go and propose to her with it?"

"I don't know mum, she's completely barmy this time... calling me a terrible friend, a backstabber, and the most deplorable person on the planet... what does deplorable mean?"

Oh poor little Ronnie, if only he'd been a girl instead of a boy, this would be so much easier as she wouldn't have to bother setting her dumbest son up with the brightest witch his age. She could have just sold Ronnie off to some wizard to be his wife and that would have been that. Or if she was really lucky, Ronnie would have gotten in on the fast track with Harry, and been set for life.

After all, since Harry was a half-blood, all Ronnie would have to do is put out once, and he'd be stuck in a magically binding marriage contract. However, right now Ronald needed her, and her dream daughter of Ronnie would have to wait.

"It just means she's upset dear, now let's get you some dessert, and we'll talk about how we'll fix your little problem," Molly stated, having figured herself to be in a salvageable position after all. It would take a little more work, but she could get back on track if Hermione had some tea and cookies within the next month.

With that in mind, she completely missed how her son's face turned an interesting shade of Slytherin green before he smiled sheepishly and pushed back from the table. "If it's alright mum... I think I need a little lie down before trying to figure this out..."

"That's fine dear, go and take a rest, momma will take care of everything. Would you like me to bring you some biscuits later?" Molly offered with a warm smile as she waved him up to the stairs.

"If you want mum, that'd be great..." Percy answered as he began dragging himself upstairs. "I think that waiting until breakfast might be better... I'm really tired."

"Sleep well dear," Molly agreed as she saw her youngest son going upstairs. Oh that vile temptress of a muggle-born would pay for how she'd hurt her precious little Ronniekins. If she wasn't the perfect one for him, Molly would just abandon her support of the girl, and leave her to rot in whatever minimal position she could get.

No, steady there Molly old girl, she can still be valuable, and if you can just tame that wild side of her to help Ron, all the better. Yawning slightly, she decided that it might be time for herself to retire for the evening. After all, Ronniepoo would be up at the crack of noon absolutely ravenous, and she had to have a meal ready by then.


End file.
